Viennese Cuisine

Vienna boasts one of the world's most famous culinary traditions. A diverse yet delectably harmonious range of dishes reflects the city's mix of nationalities and food cultures through the centuries, and inspires visitors from all over the globe. Below you will find recipes for some of the most famous Viennese specialities. Why not try out a few for yourself? And, maybe you will soon be eating the originals at a traditional inn or cosy coffee house in Vienna!

Recipes:

• Wiener Schnitzel

a speciality originating from the Italian "costoletta milanese" -breadcrumbed and fried veal escalope, frequently served with Erdäpfel Salat.
• Tafelspitz
choice pieces of boiled beef with classic garnishes.
• Kaiserschmarren:
a legend says that this dessert of shredded pancake and stewed fruit was invented for Emperor Franz Joseph.
• Apfelstrudel
• Cheese danish
joins apple strudel as one of the most famous specialities - wafer-thin strudel pastry filled with sweet cheese and raisins.
• Salzburger-Nockerln
• Sachertorte
• Vanillekipferl

Original Wiener Schnitzel For the traditional Wiener Schnitzel, the Viennese normally use veal, and lard to fry it. But you can also use pork, chicken or turkey and oil to fry it. It will taste just as delicious either way! Recipe for four people: four escalopes of 120 grams each for the breading: flour, 2 eggs, breadcrumbs, salt, oil or lard for frying Pound the meat thin and cut the fringes carefully. Salt lightly, bread them and put them in a saucepan and fry both sides of them in hot fat. There should be enough fat in the saucepan so that the schnitzel float in the saucepan and do`not touch the bottom. For the breading: Prepare three plates: Put flour on one, breadcrumbs on a second and two eggs that have been whisked. Cover the meat first in the flour, then in the egg and finally in the breadcrumbs.

Erdäpfelsalat You need: 1 kg potatos, 1 red onion, vinegar, oil, salt, pepper Do not cook the potatoes too long and cut them into slices. Add small onion pieces. Mix a marinade by using vinegar, oil, salt and pepper and pour it over the salad. Let it sit a little bit before serving.

Apfelstrudel If you want to bake a delicious Apfelstrudel the dough has to be rolled out very thin. You can also buy the finished dough which tastes good as well. Recipe: for the dough: 300 grams bread flour, pinch of salt, 30 ml vegetable oil, 0,2 l water (lukewarm) for the filling: 2 kg apples (Golden Delicious), 150 grams granulated sugar, 30ml dark rum, 150 grams raisins, 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon, 2 lemons (juice and peel) for the buttered breadcrumbs: 300 grams butter (unsalted), 300 grams bread crumbs Knead flour, salt, oil and water into a medium-firm dough. Divide into 3 small round loaves, brush each loaf with melted butter and let sit for 1 hour. Peel, core and slice apples. Mix in granulated sugar, raisins, grated lemon peel, lemon Juice, rum, cinnamon and blend together well. Roll the dough loaves with a rolling pin, then stretch rolled dough on a strudel sheet with the backs of your hands. Coat 2/3 of dough sheet with buttered breadcrumbs, spread apple filling over remaining 1/3 of dough. Tear off edges, shape strudel into roll by lifting strudel sheet. Place strudel on a buttered baking sheet and brush with melted butter. Bake strudel for 60 to 90 minutes in a 400 degrees F to 425 degrees F (200 to 220 degrees Celsius) oven.

Sachertorte The recipe of the original Sachertorte is a secret but this cake tastes almost the same. Recipe for 12 people: batter: 130 grams butter, 130 grams dark chocolate, 100 grams powered sugar, 6 eggs, 80 grams white sugar, 130 grams flour, apricot marmalade icing: 150 grams chocolate, 75 grams coconut shorteningMelt the chocolate and the butter in a double boiler over hot water. Remove from heat and let it cool. Mix little by litte the powered sugar and the 6 egg yolks in it. Beat the egg whites until stiff, but not dry, and add the white sugar. Mix it into the chocolate batter and add the flour. Preheat the oven to 180-200°C. Pour batter into a greased springform pan. Bake at 165°C for 50 to 60 minutes. Allow the cake to cool completely before removing from pan and before icing. Once cool remove from pan then slice cake horizontally. Insert a filling of pureed jam between the layers. Icing: melt the chocolate and the coconut shortening in a double boiler over hot water and cover the top and sides of the cake with the warm (not hot) icing.

Vanillekipferl (Vanilla Crescents) typical Viennese Christmas cookies You need: 150 grams butter - 210 grams flour - 80 grams ground hazelnuts or almonds - 80 grams powdered sugar - one whole egg; 60 grams powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons vanilla sugar to roll in. Preparation: Sieve the flour into a heap on a pastryboard or into a large bowl. Cut the cold butter into small pieces and mix with the flour. Add powdered sugar, ground almonds or hazelnuts and the egg. Rinse hands with cold water and quickly knead mixture into a crisp dough. Chill for half an hour. Form thumb thick rolls from the dough, cut into 1 cm wide pieces, roll and form crescents. Bake at slow to medium heat (160° Celsius) for 10-15 minutes, or until very light gold in colour. Turn the crescents in a mixture of powdered sugar and vanilla sugar while still hot. Enjoy!

Wiener Tafelspitz Recipe for 4 people: You need:water, 2 large carrots, cut into thin sticks, 1 teaspoon salt, 4 celery stalks, cut into thin strips, 3 pound beef brisket, 2 leeks, white part only. 2 gherkins, 1 onion - cut into rings, parsleyBeef Heat 2 qt. water with salt. Add beef; bring to a boil. Skim foam from surface until clear. Partially cover pot; simmer 1-1/2 hours. Cut leeks in 2 inch pieces, then cut in half lengthwise. Add leeks, onion, carrots and celery to beef. Cook until beef and vegetables are tender. Cut beef into 1/2 inch slices. Cut gherkins lengthwise in thin slices, leaving 1 end uncut. Spread out slices like a fan - garnish beef with gherkins. Serve vegetables in a separate dish with 4 tablespoons cooking liquid spooned over the top. Garnish with parsley. Serve with Swedish mayonnaise.

Kaiserschmarren Recipe for 4 people: You need: 6 eggs, 200 grams cake or pastry flour, 50 grams sugar, 250 milliliters milk, pinch of salt, 40 grams raisins, butter, confectioners sugar, plum puree. Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Thoroughly mix the yolks, sugar, milk and flour. Whisk the egg whites, add a pinch of salt and continue whisking until stiff. Now, carefully fold it into the egg yolk mixture. Melt butter in a large pan, pour in the mixture and sprinkle in raisins. Let cook on one side for a few minutes, turn over and tear into pieces with a fork. Now let finish cooking. Be especially careful not to overcook the pancakes, otherwise they will dry out. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar and serve with plum puree.

Topfenkolatsche (Cheese Danish) Pastry: 1 package active dry yeast, 1/2 cup warm milk ("blood warm", to be exact!) 1 3/4 cup bread flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoon sugar, 1 egg, 2 tablespoon butter, melted, 1 egg white, lightly beaten, 2 tablespoon ground or chopped almonds Filling: 2 tablespoon butter, soft, 8 oz. cream cheese, 2 eggs, separated, 1/2 cup sugar, grated zest of 1 lemon, 1 tablespoon golden raisins Proof yeast in warm milk. Sift flour and salt together into large bowl. Add sugar and stir in yeast mixture. Beat in egg and butter and work into a dough using a wooden spoon; dough should be smooth and elastic and not stick to sides of bowl. Cover bowl with a cloth and let rise in a warm place until double, about 1 1/2 hours. Turn dough out onto floured surface, punch down, knead until smooth and elastic. Roll out into rectangle about 1/2" thick. Cut into 3" squares. Arrange squares on greased baking sheets about 1" apart. For filling: Combine butter, cheese, egg yolks, sugar, zest and beat (or process in machine) until smooth. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into mixture. Stir in raisins. Put 1 tablespoon filling into the center of each dough square and fold corners in toward center, pressing lightly to hold the filling in. Let rise in warm place for about 45 min. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush buns with egg white and sprinkle with almonds. Bake for 30 min. or until well browned.

Salzburger Nockerln You need: 4 tsp. unsalted butter 4 tsp. currant or grape jelly whites of 9 large eggs, at -room temperature 1/2 c vanilla sugar zest of 1/2 lemon, 4 grated egg yolks 1/4 c granulated sugar 1/2 c sifted all purpose flour 1. 1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. 2. Place four 9-inch oval au gratin dishes (or one large oval glass lasagna pan) on a baking sheet. In each small dish place 1 teaspoon of butter and 1 teaspoon of jelly. (If you are using a lasagna pan, smear the bottom with the butter and then with the jelly. 3. Combine the egg whites, vanilla sugar, and lemon zest in a large metal bowl. Beat with an electric mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form. 4. Beat the egg yolks with the granulated sugar. Gently fold the egg yolks and flour into the meringue. Use a spatula to place three large mounds of the mixture into each au gratin dish. Smooth the surface of each and bake for 8 minutes, until puffed and golden. 5. Serve immediately. This is especially good with Vanilla Sauce, warm Chocolate Sauce, or cold Strawberry Sauce (recipes separately).